suggestions on starting website?

[melissa_arcuri1]

<p>I NEED to start a website and have no idea where to begin.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>The first step is to clearly articulate:<br /><br />1) What you expect the web site to actually <em>do</em>. Is it merely an online business card, or are you expecting it to be a fully interactive, bloggish, gallery-hosting, buy-prints-online, constantly updated publication-feeling sort of thing?<br /><br />2) Who is your audience? Prosppective clients? Existing clients who need to review password-protected proofs? Friends/family who need to see private material? Partners/co-workers who need to collaborate and share work-in-progess files?<br /><br />3) How does this fit into your other marketing efforts? <br /><br />4) Do you have a domain name purchased yet? Don't think out loud about one here, yet, since you don't want someone snatching it, only to gouge you on the price by selling it back to you.<br /><br />5) What is your time budget? Meaning, how many hours a day do you have to put into learning how to do this?<br /><br />6) What is your cash budget - to get it started, and to pay for the ongoing hosting, month to month?</p>

[huperetes]

<p>Or you could</p>

<ol>

<li>get a domain name for $10+/year at a domain name registrar</li>

<li>get a domain & DNS host for $10+ a month</li>

<li>load a open source software like WordPress and appropriate photography album plug-ins</li>

<li>Make some pages</li>

</ol>

<p>Total annual cost: <$130 (Initial as low as $20)<br /> Time spent:<br /> 7 days for domain name (finding a good domain name 6.999 days, registration 5 minutes)<br /> 6 hours for host (finding a decent host 5.99 hours, registration 5 minutes)<br /> 6 hour loading software packages (downloading, unzipping, uploading, installing, testing, uninstalling, etc.)<br /> 6 hours creating appropriate pages<br /> months to get right content :D<br /> Web sites are one of the few places where you can "<em>just do it</em> "...</p>

[melissa_arcuri1]

<p>THANK YOU JOHN!!!<br>

WOW Matt! I just want a place to display my work, with the possibility to grow. But thanks for taking all the time to ask those pertinent and important questions. (Im not being sarcastic).</p>

[jonathan_sutantio]

<p>Melissa,<br>

How about SmugMug? They actually have a 50% coupon code all over the web. If it's not against the forum rules, I'll post it here to.<br>

If you want to take it further with SmugMug, you could also register a domain name and point it to your smugmug albums.</p>

[Stock-Photos]

<p>Chose a domain name which contains the words your potential customers would use to search for your product or service.<br>

For example, if you live in the city of Salem, consider something like www.salemportraits.com, you get the idea.<br>

Eventually, this will help if you seek traffic and business from search engines.</p>

<p>Make the domain name simple, short and easy to remember.<br>

You can go to Networksolutions.com or godaddy.com to register the name and pay for hosting package.</p>

<p>I created my Web pages on my computer and then upload to the server. When I need to update a page, I make the change to my local copy, then upload and replace the remote copy.</p>

<p>The text, page titles, headings etc are much more important than aesthetics if you want to generate traffic. If the text potential clients search for is not on your pages, people won't find your site.</p>

<p> </p>

[sam_drake]

<p>I used iWeb, the Apple Web Development tool. It worked great and I am very happy with it.</p>

[justin_greene]

<p>"I NEED to start a website and have no idea where to begin."</p>

 

<p>.<br>

Why do you NEED to start a website?</p>

 

[ccommins]

I use betterphoto.com for my website. It's easy to use and not hard on the pocketbook. Smug Mug is also good but I find it harder to use. Good luck

[drew bedo]

<p>Hello Melissa,<br>

<br>

I went through much of the steps suggested by John and Matt. I found that I was not competant or patient enough to develop the skills that would get my work online. I found a local (Houston) web developer, <a href="http://www.lynnbelldesign.com">www.lynnbelldesign.com</a>. We met a few times, agreed on a basic design and a fee, then shook hands. Two weeks later my site was live and online. My webhost is <a href="http://www.godaddy.com">www.godaddy.com</a>. They have several levels of service and I can grow the site into a more commercial effort later if that is what I want to do. This is not the least expensive way to go, but I really like my site, <a href="http://www.quietlightphoto.com">www.quietlightphoto.com</a> (and I couldn't have done it myself). Best wishes which ever path you follow.<br>

<br>

Drew Bedo<br>

 

 

</p>

[huperetes]

<p>Drew has it right. Do educate yourself first. Do understand general cost and how much labor is involved. Thenafter, find a local (or someone far away) person to do it for you.<br>

Web development is not your core competency (per your post). Let someone do it for you. But, that does not mean you should not understand it in general terms.<br>

There are a lot of charlatans out there who can charge you thousands, if not hundreds of thousands for something that can be done "out of a can".<br>

Sometimes when you just want P&J, you do not need imported peanuts from Thailand hand milled, with grapes from Southern France crushed to jam, and bread baked by an Italian 15 minutes ago.<br>

Peter Pan's and Welch's concord on 2 slices of Wonder bread will do just fine.</p>

[atle.g]

<p>Would recommend <a href="http://www.photium.com">www.photium.com</a> that come with a integrated paypal solution at no extra cost.<br>

And the customer service is exellent.</p>

[justin_greene]

<p>You still haven't told us why you NEED a website. What are you trying to accomplish?</p>

[dawn_kelly]

<p>Another set of suggestions:<br>

Download SiteGenWiz web site software for free; it will build your whole web site very easily and will do a nice basic gallery, all with a very little learning curve. Find a GOOD inexpensive web host, such as Arvixe.com, and for $50 a year you get a registered domain name (100% yours) and web hosting.<br>

$50 a year total. That is hard to beat.</p>

[aimee_pieters]

<p>Melissa,<br>

Many photographers have good experiences with their websites and many do not. Almost all who have trouble with their "website person" seem to deal with an individual rather than a business with a staff. When you need something updated or corrected, you need it done NOW. Most of the problem stories I've heard have to do with a problem in the individual's personal or business life. I even spoke with someone whose web designer disappeared and there was no way to make any changes or updates to the site at all.<br>

Either hire a company (Marathon Press, for instance, does a great job) or do it yourself. I've used <a href="http://www.networksolutions.com">www.networksolutions.com</a> for my sites. For about $120/year, they host your site, the domain registration is FREE and they have tons of templates that are easy to use. No software is required. Also, you can switch templates at any time and it will reconfigure ALL of your pages with the new template, giving your site a whole new look, instantly. Good luck....-Aimee </p>

[kate callahan]

<p>I second smugmug as a great place to get started. I started there first and used it as my only site. It was easy to customize, the customer service is impeccable, and it's a great deal for the price. When I was ready to get a little fancier, I built a flash site and still link to my smumug site for proofing. So, it was a nice transition. Just a thought. Best wishes! Kate</p>